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OSU's offense thriving under new coordinator Todd Monken

A scuffling first half against Texas A&M brought a reactionary text message from one Oklahoma State fan.

“Monken must go.”

Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden, second from left, joins in with offensive coordinator Todd Monken, left, and teammate Michael Bowie, (61), as the team sings the alma mater with their fans following an NCAA college football game against Arizona in Stillwater, Okla., Thursday, Sept. 8, 2011. Oklahoma State won 37-14. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki) ORG XMIT: OKSO113

Barely half an hour later, with the Pokes chewing up the Aggies throughout the third quarter, it was time for a reply: “Maybe keep him a little longer?”

Welcome to contention, Cowboys — and Todd Monken — where some just aren't satisfied, no matter how good things are going and no matter how bad things have been in a past that features no tangible tradition and little sustained success.

The Cowboys stand 4-0, rank No. 6 nationally and draw widespread respect and appreciation from across the country. And, yes, the majority of OSU followers are fully on board, for obvious good reasons.

For one, the transition of offensive coordinators, from Dana Holgorsen to Monken, has gone smoothly; scintillatingly at times.

Through four games, the Cowboys have totaled more yards, more passing yards and better passing numbers for quarterback Brandon Weeden than at the same stage a year ago.

A week ago, when Weeden winged passes left, right and center into a baffled and exhausted A&M defense, some suggested it was the best 30 minutes of offense in the Mike Gundy era.

And that's not enough. Take it back farther, passing through the Les Miles and Bob Simmons stints at the school, probably to the days when the original OSU triplets — Gundy, Barry Sanders and Hart Lee Dykes — were tearing through defenses.

It was that good, orchestrated by Monken and carried out by Weeden and Co., spinning a 20-3 deficit into a 30-29 win. By game's end, Weeden owned the single-game records for passing attempts (60), completions (47) and yards (438).

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